FIRE IN WANGANUI.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 267, 3 November 1877, Page 2

FIRE IN WANGANUI.

As it was rumored in Carlyle on Thursday morning that a fire had taken place at Wanganui the previous night, the proprietor of this journal telegraphed for particulars, which were promptly sent, and posted up for general information. By coach yesterday, we received fuller particulars from our special correspondent, as follows : At eleven o’clock on Wednesday night, a fire broke out in the premises adjoining the Bank of Australasia, in the Avenue, and by the exertions of the Fire Brigade, was confined, with comparatively small damage, to the one building, which has been used for some time for offices, &c., by the proprietors of the Wanganui Chronicle, the agent for the New Zealand Insurance Company, and Messrs Levy and Co., auctioneers. The alarm, given by a cabman who was passing, was quickly spread, and in five minutes from the first toll of the bell, the Wanganui Fire Brigade were on the ground, and ready for action. Lookers-on felt very little hope that the Brigade would save the block, and far less that the building would be saved, for at this time the wind was freshening very perceptibly, and the fire had, it seemed, complete possession of the whole upper portion of the building—the flames issuing from the windows and through the roof, telling too truly of the hold they had got. However, the Brigade worked well together, and in a very short' space of time had subdued the fiery element to a small compass, which quickly blackened and died out. Shortly afterwards, a few live embers, fanned by the draught through the broken window’s, recalled the Brigade, when all

chance of a further outbreak was extinguished. The origin of the fire has not yet transpired, Mr Levy alid his clerk were arrested about midnight on suspicion and on Thursday were brought before the li.M. and remanded till Monday, Insurances are as follows:—Building— Imperial, £2OO ; London and Lancashire, £250; South British, £l5O, Stock—lmperial £2OO. An inquiry into the origin of the fire was arranged for Friday.

LANI) ON MOUNTAIN LOAD. Seeing that so nitich attention is being directed to land on the Mountain Road, wo have no doubt but the following account of a trip will prove generally interesting. The writer was charmed with the good quality of land to be seen, and lias great hopes of the future prospects of that part part of the country. He thoroughly well explored the by-tracks, and everywhere found good quality land. The writer says':—

According to promise, I send you a few particulars of my journey to the new township on the Mountain Road. I started, walking, on the 22nd of October from Kakaramea, rather excited, I must acknowledge, at the prospect of seeing this new district, of which I have, been thinking mucili since the land sale of the Mo'a and Manganui blocks. I walked to Mr McGuire’s, Ketemarae, which is situated at the opening of the Mountain Road. I remained here two nights, as Tuesday, the 23rd, proved a very wet day. On Wednesday morning I started, after a good breakfast, for the new townships on the Mountain Road. Little more than a mile of walking brought me to some broken land of koromiko scrub, With some grass and karaka groves. This scrub runs about two or two and a half miles along the road, and is succeeded by some very good timber—the bush abounding in large matai trees. The next object of interest was the Bridge over the Mangawhora River, about five miles from Ketemarae, or rather from the opening of the bush road at the Old Ketemarae Hotel. Fifteen and a half miles from Hawera, is the Patea bridge, at the corner of which is the new Government township, which is to be sold, I believe, about March or April next. This township is placed on elevated ground, on the north bank of the river,

which is probably 15 feet above the river, and the bank is steep. There are several men felling bush on the township, and I suppose a few weeks will sec the whole township open to the wind and the sun. Around this township are grouped about forty small sections, ranging from about 25 down to 12 acres. Outside these are. larger sections, 50 up to 200 acres.- A little over a mile brings the traveller to Mr Fitzpatrick’s accommodation house. After passing two more bridges, tbo Kahouri and the Piakau, we come to the Midhirst Special Settlement, where the bush on the site of the township is being felled very fast. Near the middle of this road frontage is the Tcpopo, a very pretty river, rather smaller than the Patea. This township Will be on both si les of the road, but the 100 acre sections lie on the eastern side of the road. Thu next bridge is the Manganui, which is, I believe, the boundary of tbo special settlement of Midhiist. I walked about one mile past this township. So far as t walked, 1 found the country very good, with bush on both sides of the road, and the grass and clover ou the road was most luxuriant for the whole distance. While going into the branch roads, I could easily know on which loads settlers were working, as they had put fern trees, &c.,on the water courses,- in order that they might walk dry to their work, and had cut easy roads round the fallen trees. Where the surveyors had gone over, at the corner of every section I saw pegs with the number of the section painted in red.

I returned to Ketemarae on Saturday, very much pleased with the country I had seen, I believe the country three or four miles north of the Manganui is laid out in sections, for the most part under 100 acres, and let, or to be let, on the system of deferred payments—at least on the western side of the road. The east side is only partially surveyed.—l am, &c., THOMAS J. HINDE. Kakararnca, October 30, 1877.